Sprinkler control system



Feb. 8, 1966 G. LINK $234,448

SPRINKLER CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Dec. 26. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. MTAV LINK A7'TOENEY Feb. 8, 1966 G. LINK SPRINKLER CONTROL SYSTEM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 26, 1961 PIE E FIE INVENTOR. eusw/ um:

[Trail/f) Feb. 8, 1966 G. LINK 3,234,448

SPRINKLER CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Dec. 26. 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ollllllllll. m j r //,l' k IIJTIIIIIIII" 1 II INVENTOR.

Gl/JTAV LIA K BY X 31/44 ATTdE/VE Y United States Patent 3,234,448 SPRINKLER CONTROL SYSTEM Gustav Link, 3961 Mission Road, Los Angeles, Calif.

Filed Dec.26, 1961, Ser. No. 162,097

2 7 Claims. (Cl. 318443) This invention relates to fluid distributing systems and has particular reference to water sprinkler control systems for automatically controlling sprinkling of lawns, etc.

. When sprinkling large areas, such as golf courses, it is desirable to sprinkle or water diiferent sections thereof at a time in order to maintain sulficient water pressure so that each sprinkler head may cover an adequate area. Also, it is often desirable to sprinkle certain sections more or less than others. For example, lawns that are normally shaded require less water than those which are exposed to the sun. Also, it may be desirable to sprinkle certain sections at certain times of the day only. Thus, those sections which are normally walked on in the m0rning would be sprinkled only at night or in the afternoon. Again, it may be desirable to skip sprinkling of certain sections on different days of the week.

It thereforebecomes a principal object of the present invention to provide a fluid control system which is effective to successively distribute fluid to different branch pipes at dilferent times.

Another object is to provide a fluid control system of the above type in which the duration of time in which fluid is directed to different branch pipes may be varied as desired.

Another object is to provide a fluid control system in which the system does not have to operate successively through a complete cycle in any one day or other time period. i

Another object to provide a water sprinkling control system effective to springle certain sections of an area on.

one day and certain other week.

A further object is to provide a relatively. simple and inexpensive water sprinkling control system which will automatically control the time and duration of sprinkling of different sections.

The manner in which the above and other objects are accomplished will be readily understood on reference to the following specification when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating the control circuitry embodying preferred form of the present invention. a a

FIG. 2 is a plan view of-the time clock and area control dial.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view through the distributor unit.

FIG. 5 is a sectional plan View taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an inverted sectional plan taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 4. I

FIG. 7 is a sectional plan view taken alongthe line 7-7 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a sectional View through a control valve.

areas on any other day of the This invention is an improvement over that disclosed in the Link Patent No. 3,000,398, issued on September 19, 1961.

Referring to FIG. 1 in particular, a main water supply line carrying water under pressure is diagrammatically indicated at 11, the latter being connected through a plurality of control valves 12 to branch lines 13. Each of the latter is provided with a plurality of sprinkler heads 14. As will appear later, the system oflthe present invention is adapted to control ten such branch lines although any lesser number may -be employed. Also, the system could be readily modified to increase the number of branch lines served.

Each branch line 13 and its sprinkler heads is intended to water a different area.

Referring to FIG. 8, the control valve shown therein is representative of each of the valves 12 shown in FIG. 1 and comprises a valve body 15 having an inlet 16 for connection to the main supply line 11 and an outlet 17 for connection to one of the branch lines 13. A cylinder 18 is threadably attached to the valve body and is effective to clamp a guide bushing 20 therebetween. A valve member 21 is slidably mounted in the bushing and carries at its lower end a resilient sealing ring 22 which is engageable with an annular valve seat on the body to control the flow of water. The upper end of the valve member is attached to a piston 122 which is slidably fitted within the cylinder. A stem 23 is threaded in the upper end of the cylinder 18 and may be adjusted to control the vertical movement of the valve member and consequently the rate of flow of water through the valve.

A passage 24 is formed throughout the length of the valve member and a control tube 25 is attached at one end to the cylinder, the tube communicating with the in terior of the cylinder through a passage 26.

Normally, when no fluid pressure is applied to the tube 25 water pressure from the inlet 16 is applied to both the bottom of the valve member and the top of the piston, and since the area of the piston is greater than the area of the bottom of thevalve member the latter will be forced downward to close the valve. However, when water under the same pressure as the inlet water pressure, i.e., from the same supply line, is applied to the tube 25 the upward force exerted thereby will be suflicient to force the valve open.

The system comprises a main control apparatus shown generally in FIGS. 2 and 3 which is mounted in a suitable frame including two spaced frame plates 28 and 30.

A twenty-four hour clock motor 31 is mounted on the plate 30 and has an output shaft 32 to which .is attached a time disk 35. The disk is divided into twenty-four ihour sections and each hour section is further divided by indicia 45 indicating fifteen minute periods. A row of holes 146 is arranged around the periphery of the disk, the holes being alined with the indicia 45 to facilitate proper insertion of control pins 43.

To the right of the disk 35 is an area control disk 46, forming part of a rotatable control unit, which is divided into ten area indicating stations numbered from 1 to 10. Two concentric rows 47 and 48 of holes are formed in the disk, there being five holes in each row at each station. Such holes are arranged to receive pins 50 for controlling the length of time that a sprinkling operation is to occur in the corresponding areas. An additional row of holes 49 are provided in the disk, there being one such hole intermediate each two adjacent stations. 'Such holes are adapted to receive OFF controlpins 156.

The disk 46 is attached to a shaft 51 along with a knob 59 permitting manual rotation of the shaft to any desired position. The shaft is rotatably mounted in hearings in the plate 30 and in a sub-plate 52 supported above the plate 30 by spacers 53.

A large gear 54 is attached to shaft 51 and meshes with gears 55 attached to the drive shafts of three synchronous clock motors 56, 57 and 58. V The latter motors are mounted. on, the .plate 30 and operate 1 atdifferent speeds. For example, the, motor. 56 rotates at onerevolution'per minute, the motor 57 at one revolution per hour and the motor 58at one revolution persix hours. I Theshaft'51: is splined;atitslower.endto a member 60 which is pinned to, a distributor. .disk.61. The latter, forming part of the rotatable control unit, is .rotatably mounted-on a stationary plate 62, whichrests'ona. gasket 63 mountedton a secondplate ,64 which is.attached to a sub-plate 65,of:the fra1heof the apparatus. A gasket 66 is interposed between the plate 62 andan end bell 67 which issuitably clamped againstthe lgaskets and plates by bolts 68 (FIG. to pr van -leahage ofwater. A compression spring 71 between the end bell and. the member 60 holdsth e disk 61 i n-intimate contact with the, plate 62. v

A normallyclosed, solenoid operated valye 7 2, isv provided having its inlet connected by adobe .73 to the water supply line 'll'andl its outlet connected, by a tube 74 v to a passage 75. inthe platel 62 to communi: cate with the interior of. theend bell.

The disk 61 has a passage 751Ytherein,adapted to cornmunicate with any of a, circular. row offli oles 7 6ff-or lmed in the plate62 (see also FIG. 5); The gasket 63 has radially extending openings 77 thereinfcon'tmunicating the holes 76 with the respectiveupper. endsfof a series of tlibes'25 connected to. the'vvari ous, control ,Valves 12.

As seen in FIG. 6, the'disk 61 has a circular groo e 80 cformed on its underside whichcomn unicates'with a centrally located vent passage SZ leadingtotheatmosphere.

Rearing to FIGSQI an'd'2, afswitch 4 4 suitably mounted on the, plate 30 and is controlled bya rigid switch arm 83 pivoted atf8 4 having its free end lying directly in back of a row of holes 42' formed in a star wheel 38. The latter is pi vot'edlysupport ed adjacent the disk 35 and hasan arm for each day of the week.

An ear'39 on the disk 35 is arranged to ,advance the star Wheel-one seventh of a revolutionupon each r evolfution of the disk; 7 The holes 42in the wheel are adapted to receive pins similar to the'pin 43 and when suchp in is opposite the arm 83 it blocks the same against closing the switch 44. l

' Att-achedto the arm 83' is a spring arm 851whieh, when a pin 43 on the disk 35 engages the same, is normally effective, in the absence of a blocking pin 42 under the arm 83, to rock-the latter and-thus close swi-t'ch' 44.

Three additionalswitohes 85, 86, and87 are suitably mounted on the sub-plate 52directly below the disk 46. The switch. 85- is normally closedand is opened-when a pin 156 inone of the holes 49-engages alco n trol arm 85ao'r' the switch. The switch 86 is of the clas s'C type and has a normally open terminal 88 and a normally closediterrnina l 9,0 which are changed to close and open The circuitary is connected to an A.C. supply circuit 93, the latter being connected across theclock motor 31. It willbenoted that the, NC terminal 91of switch 87 is connected by line 94 to one terminal of motor 56. The NO terminal 9 smash-sw tch is connec ed b l ne 95 to one terminalof motor 53 and the NO terminal 88 of switch 86 is connected by line 96 to one terminal of motor 57, the opposite terminals of the motors being connected through line 97 to the left hand side of the power circuit. Also, the coil of the solenoid valve 72 is connected in circuit with line 97 and with the normally opened terminals 88 and 92 through a line 98 and rectifiers 99 and 100.

The circuit becomes inoperative upon opening of the switch by a permanently mounted pin 101 (FIG. 2) depending from disk 46and a1ined with row of holes 49. Now, assume, theswitch 85 to be held open by pin 101 and afsettable switch 102.jto' be closed and switches 86 and 87, to be in their, normal conditions. When a pin 43 on the time disklfiiolosesswitch 44 (providing a pin in the star wheel 38 is notblocking the sa ne) a circuit will-be completedfrom the right hand line 1113 of the power circuit, through'switch 102, switch 44, 1ine 104, switch 86, terminal 9 0, line 105, switch 87,'ter= rninal 91, and line 94 to the relatively high speed motor 56." The lattertwill nowrota'te s haft 51 bringing the station: Nos 1- opposite a reference index 113 ana mgv the passage 75 1 into registry with the tube25 connected withthecontrolval-ve'lz for the area designated No.1, If-a pin-:50 is-provided,for example, in the row 470i stationl of disk-46 the-motor56 will advance the disk until. such pin trips switch-86, opening the circuit to motor. 56. and completing -the'cirouitthrough line 96 to theinterrnediate speed. n10tor 57, In-the meantime, and before the pin 43 on the.disk 35 releases the switch 44, the. pin ,101. will have passed the switch 85 allowing the sameto, close. A circuitiwillnow be rnade through we tifier 99 andline 9610. enengizetsolenoid valve 72, caus= ing water to be,admitteduunderpressure tome interior of; the -distributor andthrough passage 751 and-tube 25 to open, the controlvalvexin the No; 1 area sethat sprinkling will occur in such area: only,

Apin i row47; is, adap edgto maintainthe switch 86 tripped for, approximately 2. /2v minutes and therefore the sprinkling W:Ol 11 d:;QQllI', for. that length. of No. 1 area. However, if two or more pins werein serted in the holesA7 of station-1, the motor-57 weu1d n nue t. a. sim ar .a i isln ht he and r nkl wouldlikewise occur, for that. time; It a pin were placed in the outer row of holes 4 8 the latter would trip switch 87 completing a circuit, to the sldwspeed nlotonSSl Such pi w ould hold the switch} closed for p im te lim ni tss. causin nr nldin ation to occur for that length of time. If, for exam 1e,- fivepins were located in the outer row of holes qf sta= tion No. 1, they would.causesprinklingfor 75 minutes';

During rotation of motors 57 and/ ch58 the.

would rotate slowly but it would not movesufiiciently to move passage 75 out ofcornmunicationiwith hole-76 for controlling the No. 1 area valve.

' Now,'a s the; last pin instation No. lreleases one orithe other of 'switches86and 8 7, tbe switch circuits be returned to normal and valve 72" would be allowed to close. Thus, motor 56-would be reenergized, causing it to move the shaft 51- toward the next control station position, i.e. station No. 2. If a pin 50 were locatedin the hole 49 intermediate stations Nos. l-and-Zthe latter would open switch 85, thereby rendering the system inoperative In suchevent, no furthersprinkling lwould-occu'r until the next pin 43 on disk 35 closed switch 44 to thereby advance the, shaft; 51 ,to control station No. 2, providing one orrnor e pins 5 t) .w ere located jnthatstationofthe disk 46. The above noted cycling would reoccur .after which.

the motor 56 would ,be reenergized to advance the shaft 51 to station No. 3 and so on.

It will benoted that if no control pins 50 are provided in a station of disk 46, sprinkling operation in'the cor responding area will be skipped.

If the system is rendered inoperative by virtue of opening the switch 85 by the pin 101 or by a pin 156 in any ofthe holes 49, sprinkling can be initiated at any time in-- dependently of the clock disk 35 by closing a pushbutton switch107thereby completing a circuit from line .103

through a line 108 to motor 56, thereby rotating the shaft 51 and disk 46 sufficiently to allow switch 85 to close.

If it isdesired to prevent sprinkling on a certain day,

; momentary sprinkling in any area which is to be skipped by the omission of one or more pins in the corresponding station of the disk 46. However, the solenoid valve may be removed from the system with a corresponding omission of its function.

A lamp 200 is connected in circuit with the motors to indicate when a sprinkling operation is in progress.

Also, in lieu of the AC. power circuit, a D.C. power circuit obtainable, for example, from batteries, could be substituted in which case direct current motors would be substituted for the motors 31, 56, 57 and 58.

It will be noted that the tips of the switch control arms 85a and 86a are olfsetabout the shaft 51 relative to each otherso as to permit sequential control thereof by the pins in the two rows 47 and 48 of holes.

The flexibility of the system can be seen by the fact that the disk 46 can be set to cause sprinkling of the dif- :ferent areas for difierent lengths of time or any one or more areas can be skipped, Also, instead of sequentially sprinkling the different areas in a continuous cycle, the system can be readily set to cause different areas to be sprinkled at different times under control of the time clock by appropriate setting of the pins 43 and setting of pins in the star wheel 38. For example, areas Nos. 1 to 3 could be controlled to sprinkle consecutively starting at 4:00 p,m.-on Monday only, area No. 5 to sprinkle at 6:30 pm. on that day and areas Nos. 6 and 8 consecutively starting at 5:00 pm. on Thursdays only.

Having thus described the invention, what I desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a multiple station timing system, the combination comprising a:movable control unit having a plurality of stations movable past a reference point, a first motor for moving said control unit through a path to carry said stations successively past said reference point, a second motor operable at aslower speed than said first motor for moving said control unit through said path, a third motor operable at a slower speed than said second motor for also moving said control unit through said path, a circuit for energizing said first motor, said circuit including a first switch means effective to deenergize said first motor and energize said second motor, said circuit including a second switch means efiective to deenergize said first motor and energize said third motor, and selectively settable means on said control unit for operating either of said first and second switch means when said control unit is moving through one of said stations.

2, In a multiple station timing system, the combination comprising a movable control unit having a plurality of stations movable past a reference point, a first motor for moving said control unit through a path to carry said stations successively past said reference point, a second motor operable at a slower speed than said first motor for moving said control unit through said path, a circuit for 6 a gize said second motor, selectively settable means on said control unit for operating said switch means for different periods of time when one of said stations is moving past said reference point, said circuit including a second switch means in series therewith, selectively settable means-on said controlunit for opening said second switch means when one of said stations has passed said reference point, a third normallyopen switch means connected in parallel with said second switch means, a time clock including a rotatable timer disk, and selectively settable switch operating elements on said disk efl'ective to close said third switch means at diflierent times whereby to complete said circuit.

3. In a control system for controlling the flow of fluid from a main supply pipe to a plurality of branch pipes through control valves connected to respective ones of said branch pipes including a control unit movable through a path passing successively through different stations and effective at each station to control a respective said valve to effect flow of fluid therethrough, the combination comprising a first motor for moving said control unit through said path from one station to the next, a second motor operable at a slower speed than the first motor for moving said control unit through said path, a first circuit for energizing said first motor, a first normally closed switch in series with said circuit, a second circuit for energizing said second motor, a normally opened second switch in series with said second circuit, and selectively settable means on said second switch when said unit is moving adjacent a said station.

4. The combination according to claim 3 wherein said selectively settable means includes means for controlling the length of time said first switch is opened and said second switch is closed. v

5. In a control system for controlling the flow of fluid from a main supply pipe to a plurality of sprinkler pipes through control valves connected to respective ones of said sprinkler pipes including a rotatable control unit including a disk having a plurality of stations therearound, said control unit being effective when difierent said stations are adjacent a reference point to control difierent said valves to pass fluid therethrough, the combination comprising a first motor for rotating said control unit, a second motor for rotating said control unit at a slower speed than said first motor, a first circuit for energizing said first motor, a normally closed first switch in series with said circuit, a second circuit for energizing said second motor, a normally opened second switch in series with said second circuit, and selectively settable members on said disk elfective when a said station is passing said reference point to open said first switch and close said second switch for a predetermined period of time,

6. In a control system for controlling the flow of fluid from a main supply pipe to a plurality of sprinkler pipes through control valves intermediate said supply pipe and respective ones of said sprinkler pipes including a rotatable control unit having a plurality of stations therearound, said control unit being effective when different said stations are adjacent a reference point to pass fluid therethrough, the combination comprising a first motor for rotating said c n ol unit, a ec nd mot r for rotating said control unit at a slower speed than said first motor, a third motor for rotating said control unit at a slower speed than said second motor, a circuit for energizing said first motor, a normally closed first switch in Said circuit, a second circuit for energizing said second motor, a nor.- mally opened second switch in said second circuit, a third circuit for energizing said third. motor, a normally opened third switch in said third circuit, a selectively settable member onsaid control unit effective when a said. station is pass-ing adjacent the reference point for opening said first switch and closing said second switch for a predetermined period of time, and a second selectively settable 

1. IN A MULTIPLE STATION TIMING SYSTEM, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A MOVABLE CONTROL UNIT HAVING A PLURALITY OF STATIONS MOVABLE PAST A REFERENCE POINT, A FIRST MOTOR FOR MOVING SAID CONTROL UNIT THROUGH A PATH TO CARRY SAID STATIONS SUCCESSIVELY PAST SAID REFERENCE POINT, A SECOND MOTOR OPERABLE AT A SLOWER SPEED THAN SAID FIRST MOTOR FOR MOVING SAID CONTROL UNIT THROUGH SAID PATH, A THIRD MOTOR OPERABLE AT A SLOWER SPEED THAN SAID SECOND MOTOR FOR ALSO MOVING SAID CONTROL UNIT THROUGH SAID PATH, A CIRCUIT FOR ENERGIZING SAID FIRST MOTOR, SAID CIRCUIT INCLUDING A FIRST SWITCH MEANS EFFECTIVE TO DEENERGIZE SAID FIRST MOTOR AND ENERGIZE SAID SECOND MOTOR, SAID CIRCUIT INCLUDING A SECOND SWITCH MEANS EFFECTIVE TO DEENERGIZE SAID FIRST MOTOR AND ENERGIZE SAID THIRD MOTOR, AND SELECTIVELY SETTABLE MEANS ON SAID CONTROL UNIT FOR OPERATING EITHER OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND SWITCH MEANS WHEN SAID CONTROL UNIT IS MOVING THROUGH ONE OF SAID STATIONS. 